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Recent studies have highlighted the possible contributions of direct connectivity between early sensory cortices to audiovisual integration. Anatomical connections between the early auditory and visual cortices are concentrated in visual sites representing the peripheral field of view. Here, we aimed to engage early sensory interactive pathways with simple, far-peripheral audiovisual stimuli (auditory noise and visual gratings). Using a modulation detection task in one modality performed at an 84% correct threshold level, we investigated multisensory interactions by simultaneously presenting weak stimuli from the other modality in which the temporal modulation was barely-detectable (at 55 and 65% correct detection performance). Furthermore, we manipulated the temporal congruence between the cross-sensory streams. We found evidence for an influence of barely-detectable visual stimuli on the response times for auditory stimuli, but not for the reverse effect. These visual-to-auditory influences only occurred for specific phase-differences (at onset) between the modulated audiovisual stimuli. We discuss our findings in the light of a possible role of direct interactions between early visual and auditory areas, along with contributions from the higher-order association cortex. In sum, our results extend the behavioral evidence of audio-visual processing to the far periphery, and suggest – within this specific experimental setting – an asymmetry between the auditory influence on visual processing and the visual influence on auditory processing.

Recent studies have highlighted the possible contributions of direct connectivity between early sensory cortices to audiovisual integration. Anatomical connections between the early auditory and visual cortices are concentrated in visual sites representing the peripheral field of view. Here, we aimed to engage early sensory interactive pathways with simple, far-peripheral audiovisual stimuli (auditory noise and visual gratings). Using a modulation detection task in one modality performed at an 84% correct threshold level, we investigated multisensory interactions by simultaneously presenting weak stimuli from the other modality in which the temporal modulation was barely-detectable (at 55 and 65% correct detection performance). Furthermore, we manipulated the temporal congruence between the cross-sensory streams. We found evidence for an influence of barely-detectable visual stimuli on the response times for auditory stimuli, but not for the reverse effect. These visual-to-auditory influences only occurred for specific phase-differences (at onset) between the modulated audiovisual stimuli. We discuss our findings in the light of a possible role of direct interactions between early visual and auditory areas, along with contributions from the higher-order association cortex. In sum, our results extend the behavioral evidence of audio-visual processing to the far periphery, and suggest – within this specific experimental setting – an asymmetry between the auditory influence on visual processing and the visual influence on auditory processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe the feasibility of peripheral OCT imaging in retinal diseases using a novel full-field device. Methods: A total of 134 consecutive eyes were referred and imaged on the Optos Silverstone swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) (Optos PLC; Dunfermline, UK). Scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) images and the associated SS-OCT images were obtained in the posterior pole, mid-periphery or far periphery based on the nature of the referral and on new areas of interest observed in the optomap images at the time of imaging. Results: A total of 134 eyes (96 patients) were enrolled in the study. One hundred and twenty-five eyes (91 patients) with 38 retinal pathologies were prospectively assessed and 9 eyes (5 patients) were excluded due to incomplete image acquisition. The average age of the subjects was 54 years (range 21–92 years). Thirty-nine out of 125 eyes (31%) had macular pathologies. Eighty-six out of 125 eyes (69%) had peripheral only pathologies, an area which cannot be visualized by standard OCT devices with a 50 degree field-of-view. Conclusions: The ability to capture peripheral pathologies using an integrated SLO-UWF imaging with full-field swept-source provided high-grade anatomical insight that confirmed the medical and surgical management in a majority of cases. Its use in the mid- and far periphery provides a holistic clinical picture, which can potentially aid in the understanding of various retinal pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the functional-semantic field of the imperative in journalistic style makes it possible to define the meaning of imperative on each circle of the field in the Ukrainian language. The papers focuses on the inventory and comparison of constituents at the level of lexical units, morphology, and syntax, which belong to the structure of the functional-semantic field of the imperative in journalistic discourse. The structure of the imperative field (core, core part, close and far peripheries), its organization and quantitative filling of its levels were determined. The characteristic features of paradigmatic structure and the functioning of lexical, morphological, and syntactic means of the functional-semantic field of the imperative in journalistic style were identified. The purpose of this work involves a comprehensive analysis of the structural organization of the functional-semantic field of the imperative in journalistic discourse, the study of its structure, and the quantitative content of its circles. The typology of the functional-semantic field of imperative in the modern Ukrainian language requires detailed research. The paradigmatic structure and lexical, morphological, and syntactic means of the functional-semantic field of imperative in journalistic style were described. The paped uses a descriptive method for the selection and inventory of actual material with the techniques of end-to-end writing and systematization. The source base of the study consists of 5,000 units. It comprises imperative units recorded in journalistic writings in recent years, and also online publications. At different stages of the study, statistical methods were used to construct a representative sample of the study, in particular quantitative calculations were applied to study the ratio of the main layers of the functional-semantic field of imperative in journalistic style. The analyzed material made it possible for the authors' concept of visualizing the field structure in question to be disclosed in detail and substantiated, it helped to systematize and separate various means of representation, establish the main and auxiliary means used to explicate the imperatives that form the field structure of the imperative in journalistic discourse. The results confirm that within this research, the most highly represented are core forms of the imperative (forms of the 2nd person singular and plural), which form the center and prototype value of the imperative field under consideration, while the forms of joint action causation expressed by the 2nd and 1st person imperative are used the least. They form a near-core structure, actively developing and changing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although visual attention is one of the most thoroughly investigated topics in experimental psychology and vision science, most of this research tends to be restricted to the near periphery. Eccentricities used in attention studies usually do not exceed 20° to 30°, but most studies even make use of considerably smaller maximum eccentricities. Thus, empirical knowledge about attention beyond this range is sparse, probably due to a previous lack of suitable experimental devices to investigate attention in the far periphery. This is currently changing due to the development of temporal high-resolution projectors and head-mounted displays (HMDs) that allow displaying experimental stimuli at far eccentricities. In the present study, visual attention was investigated beyond the near periphery (15°, 30°, 56° Exp. 1) and (15°, 35°, 56° Exp. 2) in a peripheral Posner cueing paradigm using a discrimination task with placeholders. Interestingly, cueing effects were revealed for the whole range of eccentricities although the inhomogeneity of the visual field and its functional subdivisions might lead one to suspect otherwise.

The paper presents the study of lexico-grammatical and grammatical linguistic means which organize the far periphery of the category of Understanding in Modern English language. Methods of definitional and contextual analysis applied in the paper allow to specify phraseological units employed for the meaning of “acquired understanding” as well as grammatical constructions which represent the above mentioned category through a notion of towards-person idea movement.

Although visual attention is one of the most thoroughly investigated topics in experimental psychology and vision science, most of this research tends to be restricted to the near periphery. Eccentricities used in attention studies usually do not exceed 20° to 30°, but most studies even make use of considerably smaller maximum eccentricities. Thus, empirical knowledge about attention beyond this range is sparse, probably due to a previous lack of suitable experimental devices to investigate attention in the far periphery. This is currently changing due to the development of temporal high-resolution projectors and head-mounted displays (HMDs) that allow displaying experimental stimuli at far eccentricities. In the present study, visual attention was investigated beyond the near periphery (15°, 30°, 56° Exp. 1) and (15°, 35°, 56° Exp. 2) in a peripheral Posner cueing paradigm using a discrimination task with placeholders. Interestingly, cueing effects were revealed for the whole range of eccentricities although the inhomogeneity of the visual field and its functional subdivisions might lead one to suspect otherwise., Competing Interests: The author declares no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.